Bill Bryson Books - Biography and List of Works - Author of 'A Really Short History Of Nearly Everything' Home > Authors > Bill Bryson books Bill Bryson William 'Bill' McGuire Bryson (born December 8, 1951) is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he was educated at Drake University but dropped out in 1972 after deciding to backpack around Europe for four months. He returned to Europe the following year with his high-school friend, Stephen Katz (which, it transpires, is not his real name). Some of his experiences from this trip are re-lived as flashbacks in Neither Here Nor There , which documents a similar journey Bryson made twenty years later. In the mid-1970s, Bryson began working in a psychiatric hospital in Virginia Water, Surrey. There he met and soon married his English wife, Cynthia, a hospital nurse. Together they returned to the USA in order for Bryson to complete his college degree, after which they settled in England in 1977, remaining there until 1995.

Living in North Yorkshire and mainly working as a journalist, he eventually became chief copy editor of the business section of The Times, and then deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent. He left journalism in 1987, three years after the birth of his third child. In 1995, Bryson returned to live in the United States (more specifically Hanover, New Hampshire) for some years. In 2003, however, Bryson and his family returned to England, and are now living in Wymondham, Norfolk. Also in 2003, in conjunction with World Book Day, voters in Great Britain chose Bryson's book Notes From a Small Island as the book that best sums up British identity and the state of the nation. In the same year, he was appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage. In 2004, Bryson won the prestigious Aventis Prize for best general-science book with A Short History Of Nearly Everything . This concise and engaging piece of literature explores not only the histories and current status' of the sciences, but also reveals their humble and often humorous beginnings.

One "top scientist" is alleged to have jokingly described the book as "annoyingly free of mistakes". Bryson has also written two works on the history of the English language- The Penguin Dictionary Of Troublesome Words in 1983). These books were popularly acclaimed and well-reviewed, though they received criticism from academics in the field, who claimed they contained factual errors, urban myths, and folk etymologies. Though Bryson has no formal linguistics qualifications, he is a popular and generally well-regarded writer on the subject of languages. In 2005, Bryson was appointed Chancellor of Durham University, a city he had praised as "a perfect little city" in Notes from a Small Island. He has also been awarded honorary degrees by numerous universities. His next book project is a memoir about growing up in America in the 1950s called The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid Bill Bryson books 10 Facts about Bill Bryson | Fact File Home » Authors » 10 Facts about Bill Bryson 10 Facts about Bill Bryson Sunday, June 28th 2015.

| Authors Get the interesting Facts about Bill Bryson if you want to know the best selling American author. He was born on 8 December 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa, as William McGuire Bryson. He uses Bill Bryson as his famous name. He was the writer of English language, humorous travel and science books. In 1995, he returned to United States after spending most of his adult life in Britain. Here are some interesting facts about Bill Bryson below: Facts about Bill Bryson 1: moving back to Britain Bryson decided to relocate again to Britain in 2003. In 2005 to 2011, he was appointed as chancellor of Durham University. Facts about Bill Bryson 2: the fame Notes from a Small Island was published in 1995. This book made Bryson famous in Britain. The book tells you about an exploration of Britain. Bill Bryson Facts Facts about Bill Bryson 3: a book of science The famous book of science created by Bryson is A Short History of Nearly Everything. This 2003 book is famous since it talks about the accessible communication.

Find out another writer in facts about Beverly Naidoo here. Facts about Bill Bryson 4: the family life His parents are Agnes Mary and William. He has a sister named Mary Jane Elizabeth and an elder brother Michael. Facts about Bill Bryson Facts about Bill Bryson 5: the humorous account If you are interested to find out the humorous account of Bryson when he spent his childhood time in Des Moines, check The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid in 2006. Facts about Bill Bryson 6: the trip He pursued his education at Drake University. In 1972, he was dropped out from the university after studying there for two years. Then he spent four months for backpacking in Europe. He was with his high school friend. Bill Bryson Facts about Bill Bryson 7: Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe was a book that Bryson made about his journey. It also contained the depiction of the trip that he made in Europe with his friends as flashbacks. Check Barbara Park facts here.

Facts about Bill Bryson 8: the prestigious Aventis Prize Bryson was awarded with the prestigious Aventis Prize in 2004 due to his A Short History of Nearly Everything. This book contains 500 pages. Bill Bryson Writer Facts about Bill Bryson 9: the history of the English language Bryson also writes the history of the English language books. The most notable ones are Mother Tongue and Made in America and Bryson’s Dictionary of Troublesome Words. Facts about Bill Bryson 10: the awards and honor He was awarded with an honorary OBE on 13 December 2006. He also got Golden Eagle Award in 2007. Bill Bryson Pic One Summer - Bill Bryson - Author Biography • Where—Des Moines, Iowa, USA • Education—B.A., Drake University • Awards—(see below) • Currently—lives in Norfolk, England, UK William McGuire "Bill" Bryson is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on science.

Born an American, he was a resident of North Yorkshire, UK, for most of his professional life before moving back to the US in 1995. In 2003 Bryson moved back to the UK, living in Norfolk, and was appointed Chancellor of Durham University. Early years Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of William and Mary Bryson. He has an older brother, Michael, and a sister, Mary Jane Elizabeth. He was educated at Drake University but dropped out in 1972, deciding to instead backpack around Europe for four months. He returned to Europe the following year with a high school friend, the pseudonymous Stephen Katz (who later appears in Bryson's A Walk in the Woods). Some of Bryson's experiences from this European trip are included as flashbacks in a book about a similar excursion written 20 years later, Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe. Staying in the UK, Bryson landed a job working in a psychiatric hospital—the now defunct Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water in Surrey. There he met his wife Cynthia, a nurse.

After marring, the couple moved to the US, in 1975, so Bryson could complete his college degree. In 1977 they moved back to the UK where they remained until 1995. Living in North Yorkshire and working primarily as a journalist, Bryson eventually became chief copy editor of the business section of The Times, and then deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent. He left journalism in 1987, three years after the birth of his third child. Still living in Kirkby Malham, North Yorkshire, Bryson started writing independently, and in 1990 their fourth and final child, Sam, was born. Books Bryson came to prominence in the UK with his 1995 publication of Notes from a Small Island, an exploration of Britain. Eight years later, as part of the 2003 World Book Day, Notes was voted by UK readers as the best summing up of British identity and the state of the nation.

(The same year, 2003, saw Bryson appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage.) In 1995, Bryson and his family returned to the US, living in Hanover, New Hampshire for the next eight years. His time there is recounted in the 1999 story collection, I'm A Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to American After 20 Years Away (known as Notes from a Big Country in the UK, Canada and Australia). It was during this time that Bryson decided to walk the Appalachian Trail with his friend Stephen Katz. The resulting book is the 1998 A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. The book became one of Bryson's all-time bestsellers and was adapted to film in 2015, starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. In 2003, the Brysons and their four children returned to the UK. They now live in Norfolk. That same year, Bryson published A Short History of Nearly Everything, a 500-page exploration, in nonscientific terms, of the history of some of our scientific knowledge.

The book reveals the often humble, even humorous, beginnings of some of the discoveries which we now take for granted. The book won Bryson the prestigious 2004 Aventis Prize for best general science book and the 2005 EU Descartes Prize for science communication. Although one scientist is alleged to have jokingly described A Brief History as "annoyingly free of mistakes," Bryson himself makes no such claim, and a list of nine reported errors in the book is available online. Bryson has also written two popular works on the history of the English language—Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way (1990) and Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States (1994). He also updated of his 1983 guide to usage, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words. These books were popularly acclaimed and well-reviewed, despite occasional criticism of factual errors, urban myths, and folk etymologies. In 2016, Bryson published The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in England, a sequel to his Notes from a Small Island.

Honors In 2005, Bryson was appointed Chancellor of Durham University, succeeding the late Sir Peter Ustinov, and has been particularly active with student activities, even appearing in a Durham student film (the sequel to The Assassinator) and promoting litter picks in the city. He had praised Durham as "a perfect little city" in Notes from a Small Island. He has also been awarded honorary degrees by numerous universities, including Bournemouth University and in April 2002 the Open University. In 2006, Frank Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines, awarded Bryson the key to the city and announced that 21 October 2006 would be known as "Bill Bryson, The Thunderbolt Kid, Day." In November 2006, Bryson interviewed the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair on the state of science and education. On 13 December 2006, Bryson was awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to literature. The following year, he was awarded the James Joyce Award of the Literary and Historical Society of University College Dublin.

In January 2007, Bryson was the Schwartz Visiting Fellow of the Pomfret School in Connecticut. In May 2007, he became the President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England. His first area focus in this role was the establishment of an anti-littering campaign across England. He discussed the future of the countryside with Richard Mabey, Sue Clifford, Nicholas Crane and Richard Girling at CPRE's Volunteer Conference in November 2007. (From Wikipedia. Adapted 2/1/2016.) Author Bill Bryson to receive honorary degree from UI | Iowa Now Author Bill Bryson to receive honorary degree from UI Author Bill Bryson to receive honorary degree from UI Author Bill Bryson to receive honorary degree from UI Bryson will attend May 13 Graduate College commencement ceremony Best-selling author Bill Bryson will receive an honorary degree from the University of Iowa on May 13. Submitted photo. By: Tricia Brown | 2016.05.09 | 08:31 am Best-selling author William “Bill” Bryson will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Iowa on Friday, May 13.

Bryson’s degree will be conferred during the Graduate College ceremony at 7 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, at which time he will deliver the commencement address to students. A native of Des Moines, Bryson is the author of 21 nonfiction books and has long been a champion of writing, literature, and the sciences in higher education. He served as the chancellor of Durham University in England from 2005 to 2011 and has received numerous honorary degrees. "I could hardly imagine a greater or more meaningful honor for me than this one,” Bryson says of the honorary degree from UI. “Iowa will always be home to me, even though I have lived away for almost 40 years." Bryson was nominated by Chaden Djalali, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences; James Leach, visiting professor of law; Jonathan Wilcox, professor of English and departmental chair; Lan Samantha Chang, professor and program director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; and John Kenyon, executive director of Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature. “Although not a University of Iowa graduate, Mr.

Bryson has demonstrated a creative passion for literature and writing along with an outstanding record of higher education leadership,” Dean Djalali wrote in his recommendation. “It would be an honor to both him and the University of Iowa to confer a University of Iowa Honorary Degree.” Leach, a former U.S. congressman and visiting professor in the College of Law, said Bryson has “a truly gifted capacity” to effectively write about a broad spectrum of topics. “Awarding him an honorary degree would be consistent with the university’s commitment both to writing and to science where his books, one designed specifically for children, provide inspirational perspective on scientific inquiry,” Leach wrote. Bryson is most known for The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, a memoir about growing up in Des Moines; A Short History of Nearly Everything; The Lost Continent; Neither Here Nor There; Notes From a Small Island; and A Walk in the Woods, which became a major film starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, and Emma Thompson. Bryson's newest book, The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island, was released in the fall of 2015.

While in Iowa City, Bryson will participate in additional events, such as a roundtable discussion with members of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a special meeting with the Iowa Youth Writing Project. UI honorary degrees Bill Bryson will receive the 33rd honorary degree awarded by UI since 1962. Past recipients include: Earl Warren, chief justice of the United States, 1962 Dr. Richard E. Shope, the physician who discovered the virus associated with the 1918 influenza pandemic, 1963 Lewis L. Strauss, an American financier and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, 1963 W. Willard Wirtz, U.S. secretary of labor, 1965 Walter P. Reuther, American labor union leader, 1966 George H. Gallup, American public opinion statistician and originator of the Gallup poll, 1967 Edward H. Levi, U.S. attorney general, 1968 Marquis W.

Childs, American journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, 1969 Willard “Sandy” Boyd, president emeritus of the University of Iowa and professor of law, 1981 Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, UI orthopedic surgeon world-renowned for his treatment of clubfoot, 2007 Marvin Pomerantz, philanthropist, 2007 Robert M. Solow, winner of the Nobel Prize for economics, 2008 Orhan Pamuk, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, 2008 Himie Voxman, clarinet legend and former director of the UI School of Music, 2008 Johan Hultin, noted pathologist known for discovering tissues containing traces of the 1918 influenza virus that killed millions worldwide, 2009 Henry B. Tippie, businessman and UI benefactor, 2009 John Pappajohn, entrepreneur and UI benefactor, 2010 Gregs Thomopulos, CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Stanley Consultants, Inc., 2010 C.

Vivian Stringer, former UI women’s basketball coach, 2010 Robart Hass, Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. poet laureate, 2010 Tom Brokaw, television journalist and author, 2010 Arthur Neu, former state senator, 2010 Gene Wilder, actor, 2011 Bill Bryson, Writer • Biography & Facts Bill Bryson Writer William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, FRS (/ˈbraɪsən/; born December 8, 1951) is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and science. Born in the United States, he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before returning to the U.S. in 1995.

In 2003 Bryson moved back to Britain, living in the old rectory of Wramplingham, Norfolk, and served as chancellor of Durham University from 2005 through 2011.Bryson shot to prominence in the United Kingdom with the publication of Notes from a Small Island (1995), an exploration of Britain, and its accompanying television series. He received widespread recognition again with the publication of A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), a book widely acclaimed for its accessible communication of science. Bill Bryson - Book Series In Order Hardcover Paperback Kindle Bill Bryson is a popular American author who was born in December 8, 1951.He wrote humorous book on science as well as travel and English language. They are the best selling books in the United States. Despite the fact that he was born in the USA, he resides in Britain for many years before returning to his homeland in 1995. In the year 2003, he again migrated back to Britain where he lived in the old-rectory of Wramplingham, Norfolk. There he served at Durham University as a chancellor from 2005 to 2011.

Bill Bryson shot to prominence, while living in the United Kingdom, when he published a book called Notes from a Small Island and this was in 1995.This was an exploration of the entire Britain and the television series that accompanied it. During this time, Bryson received a very big and widespread recognition. In 2003 he also published A Short History of Nearly Everything and this is the book that widely acclaimed its communication accessibility of science. Early Life of Bill Bryson Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Lowa. His father was William Bryson and his mother, Agnes Mary was of Irish origin or descent. He also has a sister named Mary Jane Elizabeth and an elder brother named Michael. In 2006 Bryson was blessed to publish another book called The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. This book emphasized greatly on a humorous-account of his childhood years when he was in Des Moines. Bryson studied in Drake University for a period of two years before eventually dropping in 1972. It is then that he made a decision to backpack in Europe and stayed there for almost four months.

The next year he returned to Europe and at this time he was with the pseudonymous Stephen Katza, his high school friend, . The experiences and adventures that he had from the trip to Europe are relived in his book ” Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe”. This book documents again the same journey that Bryson had made twenty years later. Bryson’s Move to the United Kingdom This author had his first visit to Britain in the year 1973 and this was during his tour in Europe. He decided to stay there after landing a job in a psychiatric/mental hospital that is now called the defunct Holloway-Sanatorium in the Virginia Water, Surrey. It is in the same hospital that Bryson met with a nurse named Cynthia Billen. He decided to marry her and then they later transferred to the United States in 1975 so that Bryson would continue and complete his University degree. Then he decided to settle in Britain from 1977 to 1995.While he was staying in North Yorkshire his main career was working as a journalist and it was at this time that he has given a chance to be the chief copy editor of a section of a business that was called The Independent.

In the year 1987, Bryson decided to officially quit his work as a journalist, this was after the birth of his third child. As he was staying in Kirkby Malham, North Yorkshire, it is then that he decided to write his own independent work before the birth of their fourth child Samuel who was born in the year 1990.He did not take the British citizenship for all this time that he stayed there because he declined the citizenship test claiming that he was afraid or lacking the courage to take it. Bryson’s Writings When Bryson went back to the United States in the year 1995, he wrote a column for several years for the British newspapers. At this time he was living in Hanover, New Hampshire. In his columns, he mainly reflected on the humorous aspects that were based on his repatriation-in-America. He took a selection of these columns and adapted them to become his book which he called ” I’m a Stranger Here Myself”. He also titled notes from a Big Country in Britain, Australia and Canada.

While in the USA he decided to walk the Trail of Appalachian and he did this with his friend Stephen Kats who was a pseudonym and it is here that he wrote a book called A walk In the Woods. Bryson then in 2003 decided to return to Britain with his wife and four children where they lived again in Norfolk. On the same year, he was again assigned to be the commissioner of the English Heritage. Honors and Awards Received by Bill Bryson In 2005 he served as a chancellor at Durham University. He is the one who succeeded the late Sir Peter Ustinov and his appointment made him to become more active in dealing with the activities of students as his post mandated. He appeared in a Durham student film that was called the sequel to The Assassinator that was aimed at promoting the litter picks in this city. Bryson greatly praises Durham as a “perfect-little-city” in Notes from a Small Island. Numerous universities awarded him honorary degrees including Open University and Bournemouth University that awarded him in April of 2002. He was also lucky to receive the president’s award and this was from the Royal-Society-of-Chemistry.

This was due to advancement in the cause of the chemical sciences. In this year he again jointly with the RSC created the “Bill-Bryson-prize”. This was an annual award that was done in order to encourage and boost the writing of sciences in schools. In 2006 Des Moines mayor (Frank Cownie) awarded Him the key to the city and then announced to the people that October 21st would be known as “Bill Bryson, The Thunderbolt Kid Day”. On the 13th of December, he was awarded an honorary OBE due to his great contribution to literature. In the year 2007 he won the Golden-Eagle-Award and in October, 2010 he was announced to be stepping down his role as a chancellor at Durham-University. On May of 2013 he was elected as an Honorary-Fellow of the Royal Society and became the first Non Britain to be conferred such an honor. Books by Author Bill Bryson Bryson has written different types of books that can be categorized under language, biography, travel, science, history as well as memoir.

William McGuire Bill Bryson was born in 1951, in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. He later in 1977 went to settle in England. Bill Bryson lived in North Yorkshire for almost twenty years. He has lived with his family is Hanover, New Hampshire. William McGuire has a spouse, Cynthia Billen; they are happily married. Cynthia was working as a nurse while they meet with Bill Bryson. Bryson had just landed a job in the psychiatric hospital where Cynthia was working and they tied the knot in 1975. Together, they have four children, Samuel, Catherine, Felicity and David. He was born to Mary Bryson and William and has an older brother Michael. He also has a sister, Mary Elizabeth. Bryson’s mother was of an Irish descent. He dropped out of Drake University in 1972 after two years of study. He backpacked around Europe for four months. The following year, he moved back to Europe together with the pseudonymous Stephen Katz, a high-school friend. Later, Bryson reveals some of his experiences from this trip as flashbacks in his book Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe.

The book documents a similar journey McGuire Bill made two centuries later. Bill Bryson writes more on non-fiction books most specifically on travel. Additionally, he has written books on Shakespeare, his own childhood, and on language. His books One Summer: America (1927) and At Home: a Short History of Private Life recorded great sales. In the United Kingdom, he has sold more non-fiction books than any other author has. On December 13, 2006, he was awarded an OBE for his great contribution to literature. His most successful work in his writing career is most seen in the books A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (2006) and The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way (1990). In addition to being an author, Bryson had a stake in the education sector. He served as the chancellor of the University of Durham, a position he got after the death of Peter Ustinov. His book A Short History of Nearly Everything, an acclaimed book on the history of science, has won him two awards.

The first was the Descartes Prize, the highest literary award in the European Unionist and next was the Royal Society’s Aventis Prize. The book Notes from a Small Island was voted as the best book that best represents Britain, in a national poll among other awards. One of his travel books, A Walk in the Woods has been made into a movie starring Robert Redford who played Bryson, Emma Thompson and Nick Nolte (costing as Katz). Bill Holderman wrote the final screenplay of the film that was originally drafted by Amicalola Falls. The movie was filmed, largely, at Amicalola Falls State Park, Dawsonville, Georgia. Some scenes were filmed at the Amicalola Falls Lodge. It was the premier film at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015. His outstanding book Notes from a Small Island (1996) was serialized on the BBC Radio 4. Kerry Shale was the narrator of the series. The book was also adapted for television in 1998 by Carlton Television. It was broadcast as a six-part thirty-minute documentary on ITV in 1999 between January and February. The book is audio formatted as well.

Kerry Shale had read the book in 15-minute episodes and from then, it has been repeated several times on BBC Radio 7. In the humorous travel book Notes from a Small Island (1995), Bryson engages on a trip to all corners of the Island. He makes great observations and talks to people from the northeastern tip, John O’Groats to Exeter, West Country. Despite insisting on using public transport, he fails in two occasions. He had to rent a car to John O’Groats and Oxfordshire. He gives historical information all the way his journey and shows amazement at Britain’s heritage. Bill reveals that there were 12,000 medieval churches, 600,000 ha of common land and 445,000 buildings that were being listed. Additionally there were 120,000 miles of public rights-of-way and footpaths and 600,000 archeological sites. He plays homage to various peculiarities of British English and Britain as well as trying times of the British people such as the Great Depression and World Wars.

Bryon re-visits Virginia water and works at Holloway Sonatoruim at his first visit to Britain in 1973. It is when working here when he met his future fiance. Bill also expresses concerns on the British assumption that everything was ordered by a number and failing to understand the meaning of counterpane, which the people assumed to be associated with a window. At that, time there was a popular brand, Embassy Regal Number 1. In British English, asking for twenty (cigarettes) means a packet and not twenty of them. In the book A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (1998), Bryson describes his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with his high-school friend Stephen Katz. The book written in humorous style discusses more seriously on matters relating to the surrounding ecology, sociology, people, animals, plants and trees, and trail’s history. At first, Bill Bryson explains his curiosity about Appalachian Trail that is near his house. With his friend Stephen, they start hiking the trail in the south, from Georgia State. They stubble in the beginning because. At this point, they are not used to their equipment.

Bryson realizes that it is even more difficult to travel with his friend, an overweight and crude recovering alcoholic, who seemed unprepared for the ordeal. They come into shock when they get to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and realize that they have barely begun. Bryson had seemed that they had already hiked a large distance, but conversely the whole endeavor was too much for the two friends. They choose to begin again in Roanoke, Virginia, after skipping a huge section of the trail. After nearly 1,300 Km (800 Miles) of hiking the hiking section ends; Bryson goes on a book tour and Katz returns to Des Moines to work. Bryson continue to hike in the following months and visits several places. Later, he reunites with Katz on a mission to hike Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine. He, however, doesn’t complete the trial.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson - Author Biography • Awards—Order of the British Empire, 2006; James Joyce Award of the Literary and Historical Society of University College of Dublin, 2007 • Currently—lives in England William McGuire "Bill" Bryson is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on science. Born an American, he was a resident of North Yorkshire, UK, for most of his professional life before moving back to the US in 1995. In 2003 Bryson moved back to the UK, living in Norfolk, and was appointed Chancellor of Durham University. More Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of William and Mary Bryson. He has an older brother, Michael, and a sister, Mary Jane Elizabeth. He was educated at Drake University but dropped out in 1972, deciding to instead backpack around Europe for four months. He returned to Europe the following year with a high school friend, the pseudonymous Stephen Katz.

Some of his experiences from this trip are relived as flashbacks in Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe, which documents a similar journey Bryson made twenty years later. Move to UK Bryson decided to stay in England after landing a job working in a psychiatric hospital—the now defunct Holloway Sanatorium in Virginia Water, Surrey. He met a nurse there named Cynthia, whom he married, and they moved to the USA in 1975 so Bryson could complete his college degree. In 1977, they settled in the UK, where they remained until 1995. Living in North Yorkshire and mainly working as a journalist, Bryson eventually became chief copy editor of the business section of The Times, and then deputy national news editor of the business section of The Independent. He left journalism in 1987, three years after the birth of his third child. Still living in Kirkby Malham, North Yorkshire, Bryson started writing independently and in 1990 their fourth and final child, Sam, was born.

Writings In 1995, Bryson returned to the United States to live in Hanover, New Hampshire, for some years, the stories of which feature in his book I'm A Stranger Here Myself, alternatively titled Notes from a Big Country in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. During his time in the United States, Bryson decided to walk the Appalachian Trail with his friend Stephen Katz (a pseudonym), about which he wrote the book A Walk in the Woods. In 2003 the Brysons and their four children returned to the UK, and now live in Norfolk. Also in 2003, in conjunction with World Book Day, voters in the United Kingdom chose Bryson's book Notes from a Small Island as that which best sums up British identity and the state of the nation. In the same year, he was appointed a Commissioner for English Heritage. In 2004, Bryson won the prestigious Aventis Prize for best general science book with A Short History of Nearly Everything. This 500-page popular literature piece explores not only the histories and current statuses of the sciences, but also reveals their humble and often humorous beginnings.

Although one "top scientist" is alleged to have jokingly described the book as "annoyingly free of mistakes", Bryson himself makes no such claim, and a list of nine reported errors in the book is available online, identifying the chapter in which each appears but with no page or line references. In 2005, the book won the EU Descartes Prize for science communication. Bryson has also written two popular works on the history of the English language — Mother Tongue and Made in America — and, more recently, an update of his guide to usage, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (published in its first edition as The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words in 1983). These books were popularly acclaimed and well-reviewed, though they received some criticism claiming that they contained factual errors, urban myths and folk etymologies. Honors In 2005, Bryson was appointed Chancellor of Durham University, succeeding the late Sir Peter Ustinov, and has been particularly active with student activities, even appearing in a Durham student film (the sequel to The Assassinator) and promoting litter picks in the city.

He had praised Durham as "a perfect little city" in Notes from a Small Island. He has also been awarded honorary degrees by numerous universities, including Bournemouth University and in April 2002 the Open University. In 2006, Frank Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines, awarded Bryson the key to the city and announced that 21 October 2006 would be known as "Bill Bryson, The Thunderbolt Kid, Day." In November 2006, Bryson interviewed the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair on the state of science and education. On 13 December 2006, Bryson was awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to literature. The following year, he was awarded the James Joyce Award of the Literary and Historical Society of University College Dublin. In January 2007, Bryson was the Schwartz Visiting Fellow of the Pomfret School in Connecticut. In May 2007, he became the President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England. His first area focus in this role was the establishment of an anti-littering campaign across England.

He discussed the future of the countryside with Richard Mabey, Sue Clifford, Nicholas Crane and Richard Girling at CPRE's Volunteer Conference in November 2007. (From Wikipedia.) About: Bill Bryson About: Bill Bryson An Entity of Type : person , from Named Graph : , within Data Space : dbpedia.org William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, FRS (/ˈbraɪsən/; born December 8, 1951) is a best-selling Anglo-American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and science. Born in the United States, he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before returning to America in 1995. In 2003 Bryson and his wife and four children moved back to Britain, living in the old rectory of Wramplingham, Norfolk. He served as the chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011.

Property abstract William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, FRS (/ˈbraɪsən/; born December 8, 1951) is a best-selling Anglo-American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and science. Born in the United States, he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before returning to America in 1995. In 2003 Bryson and his wife and four children moved back to Britain, living in the old rectory of Wramplingham, Norfolk. He served as the chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011. Bryson came to prominence in the United Kingdom with the publication of Notes from a Small Island (1995), an exploration of Britain, and its accompanying television series. He received widespread recognition again with the publication of A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), a book widely acclaimed for its accessible communication of science. (en) William „Bill“ McGuire Bryson, OBE, (* 8.

Dezember 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa) ist ein US-amerikanischer Journalist und Schriftsteller. Berühmt wurde er vor allem durch seine ebenso informativen wie humorvollen Reiseberichte aus Europa, den Vereinigten Staaten und Australien. Bryson war von 2005 bis Ende 2011 Kanzler (Chancellor, ein hauptsächlich zeremonielles Amt) der renommierten britischen University of Durham, die ihm die Ehrendoktorwürde verlieh. (de) وليام ماكغوري "بل" برياسون ولدفي ديسمبر 1951 وهو مؤلف أمريكي لمجموعة كتب من الأكثر مبيعاً في الولايات المتحدة شملت مواضيع عن السفر واللغة والعلم.. (ar) William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE(honoraria) (8 de diciembre de 1951), es un escritor británico nacido en Estados Unidos, autor de divertidos libros sobre viajes, sobre la lengua inglesa y de divulgación científica.

Ha vivido la mayor parte de su vida adulta en el Reino Unido. Actualmente reside en North Yorkshire, Inglaterra. (es) William « Bill » McGuire Bryson, né le 8 décembre 1951, est un auteur américain de récits de voyages humoristiques, ainsi que de livres traitant de la langue anglaise et de sujets scientifiques. Il a vécu la majorité de sa vie d'adulte au Royaume-Uni. (fr) ビル・ブライソン（William "Bill" McGuire Bryson、1951年12月8日 - ）は、アメリカ合衆国アイオワ州デモイン出身のノンフィクション作家、随筆家。ユーモアたっぷりの旅行エッセーや、言語、科学に関する著作で有名。 (ja) Bill Bryson (Des Moines, Iowa, 8 december 1951) is een Amerikaans schrijver van reisboeken alsmede boeken over de Engelse taal en wetenschappelijke onderwerpen.

(nl) Bill Bryson (Des Moines, 8 de Dezembro de 1951) é um escritor norte-americano. (pt) William McGuire „Bill” Bryson (ur. 8 grudnia 1951 w Des Moines) – amerykański pisarz, autor książek podróżniczych, popularnonaukowych oraz dotyczących języka angielskiego. Jego rodzicami byli William, senior i Mary z d. McGuire. Przez dwa lata uczęszczał na Drake University w Des Moines. Od 1973 pracował w Wielkiej Brytanii. Jest związany z Durham University. Od 2003 mieszka w angielskim hrabstwie Norfolk. 13 grudnia 2006 został odznaczony Orderem Imperium Brytyjskiego za dorobek literacki. (pl) Уи́льям (Билл) Макгуа́йр Бра́йсон (англ. William "Bill" McGuire Bryson) — американский писатель, многие книги которого становились бестселлерами.

Брайсон известен своими юмористическими книгами о путешествиях, английском языке и науке. Брайсон уроженец США, однако большую часть времени проживал в Северном Йоркшире (Англия). В 1995 году Билл Брайсон переезжает в США, но в 2003-м возвращается в Англию и на данный момент проживает в Норфолке.Когда Брайсон вернулся в США в 1995 году, он решил пройти Аппалачскую тропу со своим другом. О своих впечатлениях он написал книгу «Затерявшийся в дебрях», по которой сняли фильм, вышедший в 2015 году.

(ru) 威廉·麥圭爾·「比爾」·布萊森，OBE，FRS（英语：William McGuire "Bill" Bryson，1951年12月8日－），美國作家，著作以筆調幽默的旅遊書籍聞名，同時也出版了許多語言學與科學書籍。布萊森出生於美國，但在西元1995年前的成人階段幾乎都是居住在英國，1995年才重返美國。西元2003年，布萊森又搬回了英國，住在諾福克郡雷普林漢（Wramplingham）村，一棟作為英國登錄建築之一的老牧師館裡，並且在2005年至2011年的期間，以校監的身分服務於德倫大學。 (zh) comment William „Bill“ McGuire Bryson, OBE, (* 8. Dezember 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa) ist ein US-amerikanischer Journalist und Schriftsteller.

Berühmt wurde er vor allem durch seine ebenso informativen wie humorvollen Reiseberichte aus Europa, den Vereinigten Staaten und Australien. Bryson war von 2005 bis Ende 2011 Kanzler (Chancellor, ein hauptsächlich zeremonielles Amt) der renommierten britischen University of Durham, die ihm die Ehrendoktorwürde verlieh. (de) وليام ماكغوري "بل" برياسون ولدفي ديسمبر 1951 وهو مؤلف أمريكي لمجموعة كتب من الأكثر مبيعاً في الولايات المتحدة شملت مواضيع عن السفر واللغة والعلم.. (ar) William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE(honoraria) (8 de diciembre de 1951), es un escritor británico nacido en Estados Unidos, autor de divertidos libros sobre viajes, sobre la lengua inglesa y de divulgación científica. Ha vivido la mayor parte de su vida adulta en el Reino Unido. Actualmente reside en North Yorkshire, Inglaterra.

(es) William « Bill » McGuire Bryson, né le 8 décembre 1951, est un auteur américain de récits de voyages humoristiques, ainsi que de livres traitant de la langue anglaise et de sujets scientifiques. Il a vécu la majorité de sa vie d'adulte au Royaume-Uni. (fr) Bill Bryson books and biography | Waterstones Much loved travel writer, humorist, biographer and polymath... 08/12/1951 - Bill Bryson biography and information Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa and first visited England in 1973 as part of a European tour. During his initial stay he met his wife-to-be and, after a brief period back in America, the two settled in England in 1977 until going back to the USA in 1995. He and his wife returned to England in 2003. He has written books on a wide variety of subjects. While primarily a travel writer, he has also written about language, science, biography and history. There seems to be nothing he cannot write about.

It would be annoying if he didn't write so well. He was the chancellor of Durham University from 2005 until 2011. The Royal Society of Chemistry have given him the President's Award for the advancement of chemistry and created the Bill Bryson prize to promote science writing in schools. He is the first non-Briton to elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. Bryson wrote The Road to Little Dribbling , his first travel fiction book in over 15 years, as a follow up to Notes From a Small Island. Similar authors to Bill Bryson

Question: Which American author, born in Des Moines, Iowa, was Chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011?
Answer: BILL BRYSON